Multiplexed Detection of <i>Salmonella</i>, <i>Escherichia coli</i>, <i>Campylobacter,</i> and <i>Listeria</i> in Raw Poultry

The detection of foodborne pathogens is a critical aspect of ensuring food safety. Traditional methods rely on time-intensive enrichment steps and pathogen-specific assays, extending testing timelines and limiting throughput. This study evaluates an enrichment-free, multiplexed pathogen detection wo...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Chin-Yi Chen, Cheryl M. Armstrong, Yiping He, Katrina Counihan, Javier Atencia, Joe Lee, Gretchen Dykes, Kathleen Johnson, Heather Koppenhofer, Shannon Tilman, Sean Martinos, Joseph Capobianco
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-03-01
Series:Foods
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/14/7/1137
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Summary:The detection of foodborne pathogens is a critical aspect of ensuring food safety. Traditional methods rely on time-intensive enrichment steps and pathogen-specific assays, extending testing timelines and limiting throughput. This study evaluates an enrichment-free, multiplexed pathogen detection workflow combining the Pathotrak system for bacterial separation and the Neogen Molecular Detection System (MDS) for detection. The workflow enables simultaneous detection of <i>Salmonella</i>, <i>Escherichia coli</i> O157, <i>Listeria monocytogenes</i>, <i>Listeria</i> spp., and <i>Campylobacter</i> in poultry samples, significantly reducing the time taken to screen samples requiring further evaluation. The system’s performance was assessed using inoculated chicken samples over a range of bacterial concentrations (10<sup>2</sup>–10<sup>8</sup> CFU/mL). The MDS system demonstrated robust detection for most pathogens, with strong correlations between theoretical inoculation levels and MDS-calculated concentrations (R<sup>2</sup> > 0.85 for all pathogens). However, detection variability was observed at lower concentrations for <i>Salmonella</i> and <i>Listeria monocytogenes</i>. The system maintained high sensitivity and specificity, achieving a Cohen’s Kappa coefficient for <i>E. coli</i> and <i>Campylobacter</i>. This study highlights the potential of enrichment-free, multiplex detection to streamline food safety testing by reducing the time to results, enhancing efficiency, and providing reliable pathogen quantification across multiple targets.
ISSN:2304-8158